Dating 101
by truesaver
Summary: What happens when Huey's friends throw him onto a dating website without his permission?
1. Chapter 1

Huey rolled his eyes, slamming his book irritably and abruptly standing from the table. "For the last time, Caesar," he snapped, "You are not putting me on a dating website!"

The mop-headed boy just stared back at Huey, amusement in his brown eyes as a tiny smile tugged at his lips. "Why? I think it might be good for you," he simply said, clearly not seeing the problem in the matter. "You might meet _the one_ ,"he said, wiggling his eyebrows at his friend, who in turn glared at him.

Huey wasn't having it, though, already pushing Caesar's ridiculous proposition out of his head as he stalked from the table, book in tow. He couldn't even see himself on a dating site, let alone, actually going on dates with strangers. The whole idea was just weird and unrealistic, completely out of character for him. He found himself scoffing, just as footsteps sounded behind him.

"But Huey, if you just think about it. All you have to do is set up the profile…actually I can help you with that. You don't even have to worry about the rest-"

Another eye roll. "Caesar, seriously. I'm not doing it."

Silence took over after that, and Huey guessed his friend finally took the hint. They walked from the library, Huey just glaring at whatever and whomever he passed, and Caesar quietly following after him. Huey was grateful for the end of the conversation, not wanting to hear another peep about this so-called dating profile. What did he look like, meeting people online and chatting about his likes and dislikes? It just wasn't happening.

It wasn't long before they made it to Huey's car, before hopping in and driving off to their shared apartment. More silence followed during the drive, Huey turning the radio on to Caesar's favorite station and focusing on the road ahead. The Freeman boy tried to let his mind drift off to other things, like the upcoming exam for this college course he was taking, or helping Granddad pay rent.

But all that went away, Caesar's next words scattering his thoughts. "…What if I told you the account is already set up?"

Huey fought the urge to slam on breaks, suddenly feeling as if he were hard of hearing. "I know you didn't just say-"

"Yeah, Huey." He was laughing. "I really just said that."

Huey could literally feel himself swallowing his anger, clawing its way back down his throat as he tried to maintain his easy temper. "Then I'd say you're a dead man."

"Hm…that's too bad for me," Caesar said thoughtfully, his lips faintly smiling.

Huey took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 _Dead man indeed._

* * *

Jazmine Dubois sat in the desk chair, giggling as she playfully wheeled herself around the room. She was in Huey and Caesar's apartment, courtesy of Caesar leaving the key under the porch mat, and now she was just waiting for the two to return from the library. She had arrived an hour ago, and since then, she'd done nothing but logged into Huey's new dating account, checking for any new winks from interested singles waiting to be noticed. The mulatto was surprised to see all the new notifications, judging from the one picture that she Caesar had posted of Huey.

In the picture, he was giving the camera his signature scowl, wearing a casual black shirt and khaki pants. Jazmine remembered taking that picture of him last year on the day of his birthday, and all he wanted to do was stay home and read the new novel she gave to him as a gift. She smiled at the memory, stopping her spinning and pushing back over to the desk, peering again at the computer. Ten more notifications popped up at the top right of the screen, and Jazmine grinned. She just couldn't wait to see Huey's surprised face. This whole thing was her idea, after all.

Jazmine turned as she heard the front door open to the apartment.

* * *

Caesar quickly took off his coat as he and Huey entered, the building excitement flowing through his bones. Jazmine was supposed to be on the computer by now, waiting for them.

Huey gave him a side glance, raising an eyebrow. "You weren't serious, right?" he said, the tenseness in his tone tightening.

Caesar grinned. "I gotta show you something," he stated, as if that alone would explain everything.

This made Huey roll his eyes, but Caesar was already walking, the grin on his face only widening as Huey followed him down the hallway. "I know you're gonna hate me after this…" he started, turning to his friend once they were outside the door. Huey only gave him an impatient look, crossing his arms and raising both his brows in anticipation.

"Go on," was all he said.

Caesar turned back to the door, reaching for the handle and twisting the knob. Cool air hit their faces as they quietly stepped in the spacious room. Jazmine sat in the desk chair, her clothes hidden from the recognizable navy Snuggie wrapped around her, which in fact was Caesar's.

She turned, giving them a lazy grin. "Sorry, it got cold in here."

Huey only narrowed his eyes. "Take it down," he demanded, his voice low and surprisingly calm. It was frightening. Caesar shifted from one foot to the other. His friend had already put two and two together, realizing the situation. "Delete the account."

Jazmine leaned back in the chair, her smiling fading. "C'mon Huey," she said, the disappointment clear in her voice.

"No. Take it down."

Caesar frowned. Of course Huey would never agree to this. Why did they ever think otherwise? The kid was as stubborn as a bull.

That's when a light bell sounded from the computer, and Jazmine moved to peer at the screen, her green eyes bright. "Looks like your notifications never take a rest, Huey," she said, looking back at them with another smile. "You're pretty popular on here."

Huey moved then, taking two steps to look at the screen over Jazmine's shoulder, his face grim, but a flicker of curiousness. Caesar walked over to, another ring sounding. The three of them scanned the glowing screen, noticing the green notification button at the top right, its numbers growing higher and higher.

Caesar gave a faint smile, noticing the way Huey's eyes lit up with curiosity. He gently nudged Jazmine with his elbow, getting her attention. She glanced at him, before following his gaze to Huey, and flashed a grin.

 _Maybe this could work after all-_

"No."

Caesar and Jazmine quickly turned to Huey, raising their eyebrows. The Freeman boy looked back at them, scowling.

They waited.

"…My profile picture is all wrong," Huey finally said, his hard look softening as an eyebrow quirked up.

* * *

Jazmine stifled a laugh as she peered over her friend's shoulder. "It's not that hard Huey. Just pick someone who you find attractive, and then hit the cute little chat button."

Huey blinked. "What if I don't find any of these girls attractive?"

Jazmine looked puzzled, before looking back at him with understanding eyes. "Are you saying that you're-"

Huey widened his eyes in frustration as he realized how that sounded, shaking his head. "No, I'm not saying I'm homosexual Jazmine. I just don't have any interest in this sort of thing." He began to look bored and a little tired as he placed his head in the palm of his hand. "Why am I doing this again?"

The mulatto scoffed, moving Huey's hand from the mouse and scrolling the cursor down the page. "Alright, there are so many decent looking people on here. You're making this harder than it actually is," she stated, starting to get that stubborn vibe from the Freeman boy. "Oh, she's pretty," she said then, pointing at one of the pictures on the screen.

Huey glanced at the picture, before rolling his eyes. "Under all that makeup?"

Jazmine giggled, before she started scrolling again. She never knew he was so picky. "Okay, well you still need to fill out the survey so people will know your interests."

"Why?"

"What do you mean _why?"_

"Why do people need to know my intere-"

"Oh my gosh Huey, just answer the questions and hush," Jazmine interrupted, her turn to roll her eyes. The kid was ridiculous. Jazmine pulled up the survey. "Now, what is your favorite color?"

She heard him snort. "That's basic."

Jazmine narrowed her eyes. "Just answer the question."

"I don't know…blue?"

Jazmine typed in the answer without a moment's hesitation. "Your favorite type of music?"

He shrugged. "I like Public Enemy."

"So rap?"

"Whatever."

Jazmine sighed, typing. "Favorite food?"

Huey scratched his head, raising an eyebrow. "Why is that even important?"

The mulatto pinched the bridge of her nose, starting to wish Caesar hadn't left earlier to go to work. He left her to Huey, who was giving her the hardest time right now. She needed a break. "You know what, "she started, standing from the chair, "I'm going to go get something to drink and see what's on TV. When I come back, that survey should be filled out."

Huey looked up at her, his maroon eyes full of hidden amusement. "And if it isn't?" was all he said, his voice even and quiet, before turning back to the screen.

Jazmine blinked, before shrugging, turning to head out of the room. They were never going to get anywhere if all Huey ever did was question things and be even more stubborn than he usually was. He hadn't liked any of the interested girls she had pointed out, even after looking at their long bio pages and extended likes and dislikes.

She gave a long sigh, stepping into the decent-sized kitchen and grabbing a glass from one of the cabinets. She shuffled to the fridge, pulling out the large jug of orange juice from the back. It was quiet without Caesar there, his usual loud joking and laughter lost in the silence of the apartment. So silent, that Jazmine could hear Huey's quick typing on the keyboard. A tiny smile tugged at her lips. She was happy for Huey, glad that he decided to step out of his shell and see what the world had to offer. The mulatto didn't care if this whole 'dating' thing would only last for a week or so, but she was happy to see Huey like this. It was different. Or perhaps, _refreshing._ Jazmine took a sip from her cup, letting the stillness in the air surround her.

"It's asking what my favorite animal is," Huey called to her then, sounding skeptical.

Jazmine shook her head, smiling. "Don't you like black panthers?"

"I like _The_ Black Panthers."

She laughed, holding her glass as she made her way back to the room. He turned to watch her in the doorway, that same flash of curiosity flickering across his face again. "What's the difference?" she asked, before moving to sit back in her chair beside him. "Just type something."

He scoffed, before picking at the keys again. "I really do hate these questions."

"Don't we all?" Jazmine mocked, taking another sip.

It had been a long day. A long day of putting up with Huey.

No, a long day of _knowing_ him.

He stopped typing then, leaning back in the chair. "Can I ask you something?"

Jazmine raised her brows, one of the same gestures he had given her the past few years. It surprised her, because this was like the most he had voluntarily talked to her in one day. "Sure."

"Why are you two so caught up on me and my love life?"

Jazmine scrunched up her nose. "It's not like you have plenty of girls texting and calling you all the time, Huey. We felt like you could use some help."

Huey looked down and absentmindedly examined his palm. "Yeah, because you have plenty of guys texting and calling you all the time, Jazmine," he countered, his voice cool with sarcasm.

She stiffened, suddenly feeling vulnerable, even if he was just teasing. "Yeah, plenty," she said, trying to sound confident despite her bashfulness.

"Liar," was all he replied.

Oh, he knew as much as she knew that Jazmine had terrible luck with guys. So now this whole conversation was making her look like a hypocrite. The last guy she would even say was once her boyfriend was some kid back in freshman year in high school, but even then her luck was bad. It was almost as if guys saw her as this trap, and tried to avoid her at all costs. She could never figure out why, either.

 _Were they scared of her?_

She peered at Huey, whose eyes stared back into hers, looking bored.

 _Or who she was always around?_

Then she found herself blushing, those maroon pools drowning her.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N:** Thanks for the reviews, and sorry for the delay on this chapter. Hope you enjoy guys! Please feel free to ask any questions you might have or let me know what you think.

* * *

Caesar trudged down the sidewalk with one hand in his pocket, the other holding his cellphone to his ear. "Well excuse me for wanting to get paid every week," he said into the speaker, giving Cindy a side glance. The blonde snickered.

"Okay, but leaving me with Huey, knowing how stubborn he is-"the mulatto's voice rang through the speaker, before getting cut off.

"Jazmine, we all know how Huey is. Chill."

"But-"

"I mean, you guys get along so great together, since you two have been best friends for like the longest time."

"Oh, don't play that bestie card with me. You've been friends with him just as long-"

"Woah-"Caesar made a fake gasp and started making choppy noises into the speaker. "I think I'm going into a tunnel! Imma have to call you back Jaz-"

"Caesar, you don't even drive-"

Then he quickly hung up the phone. "Man that girl is stubborn sometimes," he mumbled grumpily, putting his cellphone back into his pocket. "Y'know what I mean, Cindy?"

The blonde girl shrugged, a small smirk on her face. "Meh," she said with a shrug. "Sounds like two stubborn people meant to be, if you ask me," she stated slyly.

Caesar grinned and shook his head. "Nah, they far from it."

* * *

"Just type 'hey' and send it," Jazmine said through gritted teeth, feeling the urge to pull her beautiful strawberry hair out.

Huey just rolled his eyes. "I don't like your tone," he said nonchalantly.

"How about with a cherry on top?" Jazmine said sweetly then, playfully batting her lashes at him. "I wouldn't hurt a soul if you'd do this one thing for me."

The Freeman boy stood and stretched, before rubbing his eye. "Eh. I'm getting tired."

This made the mulatto groan. They've been on the computer all day, and completing a stupid survey was the only thing they could accomplish? This is just getting sad. "So what now? Are you kicking me out so you can take a nap?" she asked, her voice full of sarcasm.

Huey turned an eyed her with annoyed eyes, before rolling them again. "Well maybe, since you want to be so pushy lately," he countered, rubbing his eye again. "I didn't know online dating was so important to you."

Jazmine huffed and rolled her own eyes, crossing her arms over her petite chest. "You know why I want this so much for you."

Huey scoffed, not missing a beat. "Seems like you should get a profile yourself."

"Maybe I will," she grumbled.

"Agreed," Huey stated, the amusement hidden once more in his maroon eyes. "Glad we're on the same page now."

"So am I."

They stared at each other for a bit longer, until Huey snorted and turned.

Jazmine opened her mouth to say more, but he was already walking away with his usual simple stride, looking exhausted yet satisfied. She closed her mouth into a pout, realizing she had lost this round by a landslide, letting Huey trick her like that so easily.

 _That jerk._

Jazmine: 0; Huey: 1.

* * *

Huey rested his head in the palm of his hand, trying his hardest to stay awake as he watched Jazmine navigate the mouse on the computer screen. She indeed was keeping up their little agreement, making a profile just as he had. He would be lying if he said the pouty face she was making wasn't downright hilarious, and all he wanted to do was rub it in her face. But alas, he was too tired.

Jazmine looked tired herself, but she would never let him know that. "Okay, the account is up," she finally announced, the silence over with. "Happy?"

Huey yawned in response. He couldn't believe how groggy he felt, and it was only noon. Caesar wasn't even back from work yet, so of course it was early. He blinked a couple of times, trying to clear the blurriness from his eyes. Upon doing so, he realized Jazmine's never-ending glare, her green eyes burning into his.

"What?" he asked, mirroring her stare in irritation.

"You literally just made me create a dating profile, and you ask me 'what'?" she fumed, furrowing her brows even more.

Despite this, Huey couldn't take her seriously with that frilly tone of hers. His eyes glimmered as he said, "You act like we didn't have that conversation a while ago. You know, the one where you clearly said you'd make an account?" The sarcasm in his voice was without mercy, yet harmless.

Jazmine narrowed her eyes. "We're not even. I hope you know that."

Huey looked exasperated. _Since when was this a competition?_

The mulatto smiled at his puzzled face. "I still want you to chat with one of those girls."

" _Hell no,"_ was Huey's response.

"Uh, _yes,"_ Jazmine countered.

"No."

"Wait, do I hear _clucking?_ " Jazmine mocked, bending her arms at her hips to make imaginary wings. "I didn't know you guys had chickens around here," she giggled, before making a whole charade of chicken noises in Huey's face.

Huey's nostrils flared as he tried to keep the butterflies in his stomach from fluttering. He hated to be laughed at, but when Jazmine did it, he felt vulnerable. "I am not a chicken Jaz-"

" _Bock bock bock…"_ she carried on through her giggles.

Huey felt his ears and cheeks warm up. "Alright, alright," he interrupted, absentmindedly putting his hands on her shoulders to halt her teasing. "I'll do it, just cut it out already."

Jazmine gave him a toothy grin, her emerald eyes full of amusement. "Glad you've come to your senses, Skywalker," she said in her best Yoda voice.

Huey looked pained at that reference, and her weak impression. "Jazmine, we both know you don't like Star Wars like I do."

She only giggled, her face flushing. "Yeah, but you know that impression was gold!"

"If it makes you feel better," Huey groaned, shaking his head.

 _Tricked by a DuBois._

Jazmine 1; Huey 1.

* * *

Hours later, Caesar put the key into the front door of the apartment, walking in and shutting it behind him. He whistled as he took off his coat and put it on the rack by the door. He twirled the key around his finger as he walked, seeking out his roommate. "Huey?" he called out, though he didn't know why. Huey's car was in the driveway, so he was obviously here.

Though, he didn't hear a response, making him raise his eyebrows. Caesar rounded the corner an entered the doorway, but paused when he saw his two friends. His eyebrows only seemed to reach higher as he looked at the two. Jazmine was leaning on Huey's chest, while his chin rested on the top of her head, both of them fast asleep at the computer desk.

 _Jazmine's still here? She's usually home by now,_ Caesar thought as he uncomfortably stood there. He pondered over whether he should wake them up, and save them from the awkwardness later, or just let them sleep all cuddled up like that. Caesar didn't mind of course, since this wasn't the first time that Huey and Jazmine accidentally fell asleep together. He thought it was cute how comfortable the two were with each other to do things like that, but keep it friendly and nothing romantic at the same time. It never failed to amaze him.

He was getting ready to turn and head out, when Jazmine stirred in Huey's arms, scrunching up her nose adorably in her sleep. Huey stirred also when she moved, but didn't wake up, the both of them only seeming to snuggle deeper into their space with each other. Caesar found himself smiling, absolutely dumbfounded. He could see how an outsider like Cindy would think Huey and Jazmine were perfect for each other, just by how well they shine together.

But Caesar knew, it was so much more than that.

* * *

Jazmine's eyelashes fluttered open, feeling the sunrays warm her skin as they gleamed through the window. _Did she stay over at Huey and Caesar's?_ There was another warmth unaccounted for, different from the pursuing sunshine of the morning. She held her head up, recognizing the faint scent of the Freeman boy's simple body wash, fresh and clean. Actually, he always seemed to smell minty to her, or always something herby and natural.

It was then that she peered at his young face, the face of a twenty-one year old. His jaw was clean despite the barely noticeable morning shadow across it, making him look ruggedly handsome. Jazmine could feel his slow breaths as she leaned against him, his arm wrapped lazily around her as if done in his sleep. She found herself smiling down at him. Who knew Huey looked so adorably peaceful in his sleep?

Jazmine was cautiously rising now, trying not to wake him as she moved, but to no avail. She always seemed to forget how much of a light sleeper he could be, his maroon pools suddenly on her as he awoke. She watched him blink a couple of times, raising his hands into fists to rub away the sleep from his eyes. Then he ran a hand carelessly through his fro of curls, turning his eyes to her once more.

"You're here early," he mumbled sleepily, unfazed by her presence.

Jazmine scratched her head with a yawn. "No, we fell asleep like last time," she said, suddenly feeling odd, shifting her weight to her other foot.

Huey nodded absentmindedly as he said, "That explains why you're in the same clothes." He then peered down at himself, the pieces falling together as he rubbed his face.

"Good morning anyway," Jazmine said as she began to leave the room. "I'll be back later."

She walked down the hallway, each of her steps sounding loud in the quiet apartment. She was almost to the door when Huey called from behind her, his footsteps following soon after. Jazmine turned curiously, one hand sleepily on the doorknob.

He had his car keys in his hand as he walked over to grab his coat from the rack. He then reached for another of his to give to Jazmine, who declined. "I'm fine, Huey. You know my apartment is just a few blocks down, and it's probably not even cold-"she started, but was interrupted as he wrapped his over-sized jacket around her anyway, clearly not hearing her babbling. Jazmine then felt his warms hands on her back as he guided her out the front door without a word, probably still tired.

She appreciated it.

Cool air hit her face as they stepped out. The sudden chilliness beginning to make her teeth chatter. _How ironic,_ she thought. Huey was somehow always right about things.

"So tell me why you punched me last night in your sleep," he said suddenly as soon as they were buckled into his car.

His tone was almost humorous as he said it, making Jazmine find herself erupting into a fit of giggles in the passenger's seat. "I punched you?" she gasped, doubling over as her ribcage began to hurt from the never-ending laughter. "Oh my goshh…"

Huey rolled the car out of the driveway as he listened to her laugh, the sweet sound filling his ears. "Yes, right in my side," he said, pointing to the left side of his torso. Lifting an eyebrow, he glanced at her. "Care to explain?"

The mulatto gasped for breath as she stopped her laughing, now only puffing out tiny giggles. "I had no idea. Sorry, Huey," she said, wiping a joyous tear from her eye. "Maybe I had a pretty action-packed dream or something. Does your side hurt?"

Huey shook his head as he eyed the road ahead, rounding a corner. "No, but it was enough to wake me up and freak me out for a few seconds."

She nodded, glancing over at him. He looked a bit more awake now, and his eyes seemed to dance in the sunlight. "You didn't have to drive me y'know," she explained, lightly smiling. "It's not like I was going to get kidnapped 7:00 in the morning on a cold Saturday in Woodcrest." Her smile grew when he snorted in response.

"Your dad would kill me if you got kidnapped."

She giggled. _"I_ would kill you if I got kidnapped."

Another snort. "Both at the same time then, I'm guessing," he commented.

And Jazmine was back to laughing.


	3. Chapter 3

This couldn't be actually happening.

Huey glared at the computer screen, willing his fingers to move on the keyboard. Jazmine watched smugly, tapping her fingers on the desk as she hummed. "Any day now, Huey," she said, her tone frilly with joy.

Huey furrowed his brows, trying to ignore her further teasing. Taking this much time, _about 5 minutes,_ to text a simple 'hey' to a stranger, was embarrassing enough. With another slow breath, he felt his eyebrow twitch in irritation. Why was this so hard?

" _Days later…"_ Jazmine cooed, her grin widening.

The Freeman boy bit down on his tongue at the comment. However, it was just enough to get his fingers moving on the keys. "I still can't believe you're making me do this," he grumbled under his breath, before pressing the enter key and sending the message.

The mulatto looked pleased, and proud at that.

Huey scowled at her, before coming into realization with his own smugness. "Wait, doesn't this make us uneven?" He felt like smirking when he saw Jazmine's exasperated face, but refrained. "Only seems right that you do the same."

Jazmine's skin grew red. "What-"

"Right?" Huey raised a mocking eyebrow at her.

The familiar light ring sounded from the computer then, and the two looked at the screen's top right corner.

Jazmine crossed her arms, a smile on her face. "Ms. So-And-So texted you back, Huey," she taunted. "You don't want to keep her waiting."

Huey widened his eyes, starting to look sick, as he clicked on the notification. Since when was Jazmine such a teas-

 _ **-Hi Huey! I finally got your attention on here! ;)**_

Jazmine leaned closer to the screen, reading as Huey did.

Huey ran a hand over his face. "What have you gotten me into, Jazmine?"

Jazmine ignored his complaining, focusing on something else. "Ooooo, she sent a winky face!" she giggled, playfully nudging her friend with her elbow.

Huey rolled his eyes as he moved the mouse, attempting to exit the chat.

Jazmine leaned over him in exasperation, taking the mouse. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! What are you doing? She sees that you read the message," she pointed out, touching the screen. "You have to reply now, or she'll think you're ignoring her."

Huey scoffed. "Because I am," he said, attempting to take the mouse from Jazmine's fingers. She kicked his chair at the foot and sent him wheeling across the room.

"No," she said, looking annoyed as her petite eyebrows raised. "You can't just do that to her feelings, or rather, _'s_ feelings."

Huey remained on the other side of the room, glaring at Jazmine. "You act like I know her. I don't even know her name, Jazmine," he stated, crossing his arms.

Jazmine searched on the screen, her green eyes glowing as she clicked on the user's avatar. It instantly sent her to the profile page and bio. Reading a bit, she came across a name in no time. "It says her name is Renae Boston." She glanced over her shoulder, before continuing upon Huey's bored look. "Want to hear what she likes?"

"Sure, whatever."

"She likes…" Leaning in closer, the mulatto widened her eyes. "Holy—she likes Public Enemy, Huey!"

Huey raised his brow, a brief flicker of curiosity shining in his eyes. "So what? A lot of people like-"

"And the color blue, martial arts, conspiracy theories, reading books, watching the news and reading the paper…" Jazmine continued, just knocking things off the list on the bio.

Huey leaned in his seat, starting to feel a bit weird.

"…um, and Star Trek," she finished.

"Star Trek?" Huey repeated, a bit disgusted.

Jazmine blinked, rereading it. "Oh, I mean Star Wars, sorry."

The world stopped around Huey. How? How was this so ironic…so undeniably-

"Perfect," Jazmine stated, slouching in her chair with triumph. "I knew this dating thing was perfect for you.

Huey turned away, trying to look unfazed. "Pshh, whatever."

Jazmine sat up. "What, you don't think so?"

He shrugged in response.

The mulatto furrowed her brows as she turned to the computer screen, clicking to the chat screen. Her fingers started picking at the keys without a moment's hesitation.

Huey wheeled over quickly, eyes alert. "What are you-"

 _Message sent._

 _ **-How's it going, Renae?**_

Huey stopped, only able to gawk in frustration as Jazmine's response popped on the screen.

 _Message delivered._

 _Message read at 1:30 pm._

Jazmine turned to him with a grin. "See, piece of cake. She could really be into you." Dots ran up at the top of the screen. "Oh, she's typing."

 _ **-It's going good, thanks for asking! Unfortunately, I have to go at the moment. Glad I caught you though. Please text my phone number, since I'm about to lose Wi-Fi.**_

then sent her phone number, before signing off.

After reading the message, Jazmine couldn't stop her grinning. "You have no idea how happy I am for you right now," she gushed, placing her face in her palms excitedly. "Just think, what if you two start datin-"

"What if I never talk to her again and forget this ever happened?" Huey interrupted, sarcasm in his voice.

Jazmine made a pouty face. "Why? You should give her a chance."

Huey frowned, but sighed when he saw how disappointed she looked. "Let's say I do give her a chance, or whatever. Will you…" he started, scratching his head uncomfortably. "Will you uh-"

Jazmine giggled, understanding. "Of course I'll help you talk to her, Huey!"

The Freeman boy looked sick with remorse all over again. "Oh, please don't get all excited-"

"Oh my gosh, I'm so excited! I'm like your...uh, what's the word…?"

Huey rolled his eyes at her outburst. "Wingman, you mean?"

Jazmine scrunched up her nose and placed her hands on her narrow hips. "More like, wing _woman!"_

Huey raised his brow with interest. "So, you're a feminist?"

"Huh?"

"Never mind."

Jazmine shrugged, before reaching her hand out to Huey in expectation.

He ran a hand through his fro, clearly puzzled. "What?"

"Phone, please."

Huey rolled his eyes and pulled out his cell, before handing it over.

Jazmine went to the contacts list on the phone, beginning to add the number from _._ Huey just watched, trying so hard not to look even a bit curious about the whole thing. He couldn't let Jazmine know how interested he was, not even a little bit. Making her even more enthusiastic was just going to be a pain in the neck for him.

"Alright, done. You can now text her whenever you like," Jazmine announced cheerily.

 _Great,_ Huey thought grumpily. Now Jazmine would be expectant.

* * *

Caesar finished filling his glass with water, before walking into the decent-sized living room. Huey was sitting on the couch, staring at his phone intently. "Hey man," Caesar greeted, before taking a sip from his cup.

Huey gave a light nod of his chin, not even glancing up.

Caesar looked confused, before realizing the situation. He gave Huey a cheesy grin. "You found a girlfrien-"

"That's a bit exaggerated," Huey interrupted irritably, rolling his eyes.

Caesar chuckled. "Hey, I wouldn't be able to tell, by the way you're staring at your phone like that."

Huey scowled at him, before tossing his phone on the cushion. "It's all Jazmine's stupid idea."

Caesar stared into the sloshing water in his glass. "What's her name?"

"Renae."

"And…?"

"…And she happens to like all the things I like."

"So then what's the problem?" Caesar asked, scratching his head in confusion.

Huey slouched on the couch and glared at the phone beside him. "I don't know."

"Well, is she pretty?"

Huey nodded lightly. "Sure."

Caesar paused then, something dawning on him as he looked at his friend. Ever since Caesar knew Huey, the kid was brave. Huey never backed down from a challenge, and always tried to push his limits to the best of his ability. He was always so full of courage, and the fight in his maroon eyes were always present to light up his path through life. _For the first time,_ Caesar thought, _Huey is stuck._

"Are you nervous?" the mop-headed boy asked.

Huey shook his head and clasped his fingers in his lap. "Just lost at the moment."

Caesar grinned. "The legendary matchmaker couldn't help you this time?" he joked, referring to Jazmine and her being such a romantic.

The Freeman boy sighed. He just didn't know how to explain to Caesar what was going on in his head, _especially_ after he mentioned Jazmine. "Uh, it's getting late anyway. I'll catch you in the morning," he said, starting to feel that queasy feeling in his stomach again.

Caesar nodded in agreement, turning to head to his room. "See ya, Huey," he said over his shoulder, sounding slightly exhausted. "Good luck with everything."

Huey mumbled a thanks, before taking a deep breath.

 _Buzz…buzz…_

He looked at his phone.

* * *

Jazmine yawned as she gazed at the bright phone screen, its light shining through the darkness of her bedroom. Usually she'd be sleep at this hour, but something told her to check on her friend. She reread the message she just sent to Huey.

 _ **-Are you still awake?**_

It was pretty late, so she wouldn't be surprised he didn't respond. She'd see him in the morning anyway.

Huey texted back shortly, though. _**–Yeah. Why?**_

 _ **-Just checking. How are you doing?**_

 _ **-Fine, I guess.**_

 _ **-With Jenae?**_

 _ **-I haven't texted her yet, actually.**_

Jazmine's mouth dropped to the floor in shock. It had been hours since she left, and he hadn't even chatted with her since earlier on the dating site? Oh no, she was calling him right now.

Luckily, she had him on speed dial.

"Jazmine, do you have any idea how late it is?" his phone rang out when he picked up, his voice sounding husky from exhaustion.

She pursed her lips, even though he couldn't see it. "I don't care. I thought we had a deal that you would give Jenae a chance-"

"Could we not talk about this right now?"

"We're talking about this right now!" Jazmine countered.

"There you go, being pushy again!" Huey pointed out.

"I'm not! You just won't listen to me!"

"But are _you_ listening to _me?_ "

Jazmine went quiet after that, flinching a bit at his irritated tone.

"Could you just for a second think about how I'm taking this at the moment? I know I'm not the usual type to express how I'm feeling," he started slowly, cutting in with a yawn. "But maybe…"

Jazmine strained to hear his next words.

"Maybe, this whole thing just isn't for me. Is that okay?"

Jazmine blinked, feeling her stomach flop a little. "Okay, can you at least tell me why?" she said quietly into the speaker, trying to understand.

There was a brief pause, before Huey said, "There's someone else."

Jazmine raised her brows in surprise. For some reason, this was starting to sound like some dumb soap opera. "Oh, you found someone else on the website-"

"No—nothing like that," he cut in, his voice wavering.

 _Why was he being so defensive? Dumb soap opera in the making, indeed._

The mulatto scratched her head in confusion. "Um, who then?"

She then heard what sounded like an irritated sigh in the speaker, and then Huey was saying, "Just don't worry about it. See you later." A loud beep then drawled over the signal, meaning that Huey had hung up. Jazmine looked at the phone and bit the inside of her cheek irritably. _Why'd he just hang up like that?_

Jazmine flopped down on her pillow and blew out some air, sending some of her blonde curls fluttering off her face. "I will never understand that guy," she muttered, glaring a hole into the ceiling of her room. And who was this girl that he suddenly liked? Did she know her? Jazmine furrowed her brows and gnawed a bit on her lower lip irritably. How dare he hang up on her without giving her an explanation?

 _What about Jenae?_

 _Was he just going to keep her hanging now?_

 _What about the dating profile? Is it over?_

Jazmine crossed her arms. This new mystery girl of Huey's was bothering her. It was so sudden. She hated to admit when she was jealous, but _god_ she was jealous. Not because Huey has a love interest, but because Jazmine doesn't know who it is. He promised they would go through this thing together. She was supposed to help him work things out, and plan stuff when things start to go right.

Jazmine crossed her arms.

Was he just dropping all of that now?


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N:** Happy Holidays everyone! Hope this chapter is a bit enjoyable! Don't hesitate to let me know what you think, and honestly, you guys have been wonderful. I mean, the reviews and thoughts from every one of you has been much appreciated. Thank you sooo much. Much love to you all!

* * *

"Dude, why do you look like someone stole your puppy?"

Huey turned, and looked at Caesar with a snarl. "Hello to you too," he growled.

The mop-headed boy hid his smile as he casually strode into the kitchen. "It's just an observation. What's up with you?"

The Freeman boy ignored the question, completely unfazed. "You're not going to work?"

"No, called in sick," Caesar answered, looking pleased with himself. "I'm hanging with Cindy, Riley, and Hiro later."

Huey nodded. "Well as long as you're here, you can handle Jazmine. I'm going to the book store as soon as I'm dressed," he explained, before examining his fuzzy Star Wars pajamas with hidden embarrassment.

Caesar waved him off as he turned to open the fridge. "Hey, you do you man. I'll just be chilling with Jaz. That's cool," he said with a nonchalant chuckle. "You sound a little stressed anyway."

Huey rolled his eyes as he exited the kitchen, barely listening to whatever his friend was blabbering about. He just needed to leave before Jazmine popped up, because he really felt it was too early to deal with her right now. She'd be over soon, though. Knowing her, she probably prepared a whole lecture to chastise him with. The conversation they had over the phone last night was a little tense. Especially since he hung up on her. Huey blushed at the thought, frowning. How rude of him to do something like that, over something _so_ petty.

As soon as the warm shower water hit him though, everything seemed to be okay. If only for a few minutes. That's all he needed.

* * *

"Good morning to you too!" Caesar greeted, as Jazmine walked pass him and into the living room of the apartment. "You're here early. Also, you look nice."

Jazmine smiled. "Thank you Caesar. Seeing you this morning has brightened my day. Where's Huey?" she said, trying to sound happy and delighted this morning. Honestly, she felt hurt, betrayed, annoyed, down in the dumps…crappy. Hell, she felt like a " _Negative Nancy"._ Or, a " _Debby Downer"._ Her dad used to call her that on her pouty days when she was younger. She smiled a bit more at the thought. _The corny bastard._

"Oh, he's still in the shower," Caesar stated with a shrug. "He's having a grumpy morning for some reason."

Jazmine nodded and turned her head, hiding her face as she bit her lip. _God, where is this nervousness coming from?_ "Oh, is he? I wonder why," she mumbled with a semi-cheery tone. She had a feeling it was all her fault.

"Caesar!" Huey suddenly called, sounding irritated. "Is this blonde hair dye in my shampoo?!"

Jazmine turned to Caesar in confusion, and Caesar began to look horrified and a little sick. He totally forgot about that prank he set up like a couple of days ago. Out of all days, Huey chooses this day to wash his hair? This was not the time to prank Huey…the kid was already mad! _He's gonna kill me!_

Caesar ran a shaky hand through his hair, a nervous smile on his lips. "Uhm, so yeah, I gotta go," he said with a huffed breath as he reached for his coat on the rack. "I'll catch you later Jaz."

"Wait, in your pajamas?!" Jazmine called after, looking stunned and quite amused as she watched him out the front door and off the porch. Caesar was taking off down the street in full speed, pajamas flying in the wind and all. The mulatto couldn't help but giggle at the sight. "Who knew his own best friend scared the living day lights out of him?" she giggled to herself, shaking her head in complete surprise.

That's when Jazmine heard the shower water turn off, and the fluttery butterflies returned to her stomach. Oh, Huey was not going to be happy to see her. She should just leave. He was already supposedly mad, and now his hair was probably messed up…and then she was there to make matters worse. Jazmine placed her hand on the door knob nervously. Should she just leave now, like Caesar, and save herself from the hell that was about to step out of the shower?

"I'm gonna kill him," Jazmine suddenly heard Huey growl from the bathroom. Then she heard muffled shuffling, and a light curse. "Oh _hell_ …no." _Whelp,_ Jazmine thought ironically, _I guess he's looking in the mirror now._ Then there was dead silence, until Huey was calling her.

"Jazmine? Are you here?"

Jazmine tugged a stray curl out of her eyes as she felt her breath hitch. "Crap, how did he know?" she mumbled under her breath. "Yeah, I'm here Huey!"

"Could you come here a sec?"

Jazmine's feet were moving before she even thought about it. _Maybe he isn't mad at me after all—Hold up, isn't he naked? He just got out of the shower after all…_

Cautiously, Jazmine continued the stroll to the bathroom. "Why, are you okay?" she called out, trying to sound stopped just outside the closed door, placing her hands over her eyes.

"Yeah," Huey's husky voice seeped from the other side of the door. "I need your honest opinion right now, because I'm on the brink of murdering a certain mop-headed idiot."

Jazmine could've sworn there was a hint of amusement in those words, but maybe that was just her imagination. Huey was never the type for laughs. "Um, are you decent?" she asked timidly, trying not to make this situation awkward.

Then before she knew it, Huey was flinging the door open, and all Jazmine could do was stutter as he wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into the bright bathroom. "Why are you always so difficult?" he muttered, raising an eyebrow at her in the mirror. "What do you think of my hair?"

Jazmine didn't know where to look. A plain white towel was wrapped tightly around Huey's bare waist, and she literally was screaming on the inside when her startled green eyes crawled up his gleaming wet mocha skin. _Oh my-_

"I mean, it's not that bad is it? Blonde is a weird color for me, don't ya-" Huey started, before he looked back as Jazmine, who looked like she was going to throw up. "Woah, are you okay? Does my hair look _that_ bad?" he asked worriedly.

Jazmine finally tore her eyes away from him, wishing the boy, or perhaps _man,_ wore some clothes. _However, the V-line peeking just above his white towel says otherwise._ Jazmine blinked a couple times to clear her dazed look, before quickly turning to look in the mirror. Huey's now bleached afro looked even brighter and radiant in the light. Even though it was just a select few curls on the top that were bleached a honey blonde, his hair looked amazing.

"I love it," she mumbled more to herself, her hand already reaching to touch his fro.

Huey stood still as her fingers ran through his scalp, the wild curls running over. "I don't know. It's a little too much," he thought out loud, watching Jazmine in the mirror as she admired his hair with her touches. "I mean, I'm still going to hurt Caesar for this…"

"Oh, he left," Jazmine said as an afterthought, just remembering. "Pajamas and all," she giggled, lightly grabbing a handful of curls in her hand.

Huey sucked his teeth. "Then he better not come back for a while."

"Agreed," Jazmine said, smiling as she examined Huey's scowling face. "On the bright side, your hair is gorgeous. So much for a prank."

Huey laced his fingers through it, gazing back into the reflection with his gleaming maroon eyes. "Eh, if you say so…" he muttered doubtfully. "If Granddad and Riley see me like this, they'll laugh at me so much…"

"…and we all know you hate to be laughed at," Jazmine finished sarcastically, smiling as she rolled her eyes. "You look cute, trust me."

But she regretted the words as soon as they mistakenly came out of her big mouth. A horrified look crossed her face, as a hand drew up to cover her mouth in shock. "Uh—um, I didn't mean-"

Huey gave her a confused side glance at that moment, raising a puzzled brow as he stared into her wide emerald eyes. Little did she know though, a swarm of butterflies were fluttering in his stomach as he spoke. "Really?"

Jazmine became a sputtering mess, her cheeks and ears red with bashfulness under his gaze. "Um, I didn't mean it like that…" she managed to get out, looking everywhere but at him.

Huey stared a bit more, but then turned back to the mirror as casually as possible, trying to seem as cool and collected as before. "Yeah, whatever," he sighed in nonchalance. "Are you sure you're okay this morning?" Only the lord knew that _he_ sure wasn't. What was up with Jazmine today? First she stares at his body, even though he tried to seem like he didn't notice. But _holy crap,_ he noticed. And now she's a sputtering mess, calling him cute. Seriously, where did _cute_ come from? He snuck another glance at her in the mirror. She was a flustered mess.

Jazmine turned on her heel. "Yeah, I'm good. Just ignore my weirdness, would you? I wasn't expecting any of this today," she peeped, scurrying out the bathroom.

* * *

Huey continued to look at his reflection as she left, but completely let go of the breath he was holding as soon as she was out of earshot. His cheeks and ears were already burning, and his heart felt like he just got done running a marathon, beating fast. When she touched his hair, felt his scalp and all, he wanted to scream because of how good it felt. Almost like it was so natural. Like, her touch was needed.

 _I want so much for you,_ Jazmine had said the other day.

But why?

Huey didn't want any of it. Though he truly appreciated it, and was willing to give the dating profile a chance, just for her. Seeing her happy, seeing her smile and laugh, was all he wanted. Even if he never showed it, even if she only thought of him as her best friend, everything he loved about her was just so genuine.

And now, all that seemed to be crumbling ever since the profile got in the way. He didn't care that some girl named Renae happened to be interested in all the things he liked. He didn't care about all the stupid notifications blowing up his inbox all the time. Jazmine was the only apple of his eye. But, he didn't know if he was ready for her to see or know any of that. Hell, she certainly just proved that she wasn't ready for anything like that.

Huey frowned, blowing out air through his nose. "How long will she turn my life upside down?" he thought out loud again, shaking his head.

"What was that Huey?" Jazmine called suddenly. "Did you say something?"

 _Oops._ "Nothing, Jazmine," he called back in assurance, before running a hand over his face in irony.

Hopefully, whatever this crazy mess is going on between them, he wanted it to last _forever._

* * *

"Yeah, it did sting a little when you hung up on me like that," Jazmine answered, staring into her glass of orange juice. "I came over today to yell at you for it, actually," she added with a small giggle.

Huey scratched his head. "Oh?"

"Yeah. I also wanted to know who this new girl was that you found more interesting than Renae," Jazmine continued. "It bugged the heck out of me all night. Literally, I was thinking about you till like two in the morning."

Huey felt himself suck in a quiet breath at that. He really didn't want to be one of those lovesick guys on crappy romance movies, but honestly, she was thinking about _him_ all night? He slouched into the couch. The girl just didn't know how much she affected him day-by-day. "Yeah, sorry about that by the way," he said, casually examining his sleeve.

Jazmine then looked up from her spot beside him, her eyes glowing with curiosity. "So?"

Huey raised a brow. "So?"

"Are you gonna tell me or not?"

"Tell you what?"

Jazmine placed her free hand on her hip. "Who's your crush, since it isn't Renae?" she seethed impatiently, as if it were obvious.

Huey felt his heart skip as those green pools bore into his, radiant.

… _Ugh._


	5. Chapter 5

Jazmine waited impatiently, trying her hardest to give the Freeman boy her most intimidating look. However, the silence was beginning to become unbearable as Huey stared back, his maroon eyes bolder against her emerald ones. Jazmine narrowed her eyes at him, fully aware of how much time was passing. It had been a whole two minutes since she asked him the question. What was taking so long?

 _When did this become some unspoken staring contest?_

Huey kept his stance, lowering his brows into a silent scowl.

Jazmine could literally feel the change in the atmosphere, almost as if she had triggered it. Was it wrong to ask him something like that? Maybe he didn't want her to know. Huey had told her not to worry about it last night, and here she is, throwing it back in his face. The mulatto's face softened at the thought, and she straightened as she felt her stomach flop uneasily. This whole time she had been completely ignoring how Huey felt, only thinking of herself ever since the profile was set up. It was only natural that Huey was a little defensive now, she guessed.

Jazmine sighed, finally breaking the silence between them. "I'm sorry. You must hate me right now," she offered, folding her hands in her lap, as she glanced to the side shamefully. "I haven't been myself lately."

Huey's brows raised, his ears heightening at her words. And here he thought she was going to burn a whole in his head a moment ago. What's going on in her head?

"Love is all I want for you. You're my best friend, and I guess I just felt like I needed to make everything happen," Jazmine continued when Huey didn't respond. "As cheesy as I sound right now, I just care about you so much."

Huey absentmindedly ran a hand through his hair, feeling the emotional impact of her words straight to his heart. He straightened against the cushion, taking a deep breath as she looked at him with caring eyes. He was never good at this emotional stuff, especially when it came to this stunningly over-emotional mulatto.

"I know," he said, his voice sounding a bit breathy. He peeled his eyes to the ground then, wishing that he had a way with words. But of course, he was falling a little flat. "I haven't been myself lately either."

Jazmine scooted a bit closer to him, her facial expression speaking so many volumes that she even herself couldn't pinpoint. No _wait…_ she realized it was love. So much love for this boy that she had been bottling up for all these years, and now it was finally surfacing. Trying to put itself on display, wanting Huey to recognize it. To see how she truly felt deep inside, from the bottom of her heart. But, she was scared. The profile for him originally was just a way to shield her feelings almost, because this love for Huey was just so undeniably real. Jazmine didn't know how he would take it, if she just flat out told him. Their friendship mattered most in the end, but the ache in her heart had been swelling for so long.

She wrapped an arm around his torso, and laid her head on his shoulder. She noticed and felt how tense he was now, almost as if her movement startled him. Jazmine glanced up at his face, and was a little surprised to see him already looking at her, his eyes glowing. A small smile played onto her lips as she held him, the nostalgic feelings coming back to her in a swarm. "You remember how much of a crybaby I used to be?" she asked quietly, her voice muffled a bit by his shirt.

Huey swallowed hard as he tried to recollect himself, Jazmine's strawberry blonde curls tickling his nose. So much for keeping his guard up. Jazmine's hugs were always a weakness, ever since they were kids. "Yes, you were the best ugly crier I ever knew," he said, rolling his eyes.

Jazmine giggles at that, her voice ringing out with warmth in the quiet apartment. "Yeah, I did make some ugly faces when I cried," she admitted, her smile growing. "I remember how I used to hug you so much, especially when I felt scared."

Huey nodded, his hand raising to touch her hair, before he even thought about it. "Why did you always do that, anyway?" he asked, running his fingers lightly through the blonde curls. "I never made you feel any better."

The mulatto tugged on the hem of his shirt then, as if in protest of his comment. "That's a lie Huey, and you know it," she laughed. "In fact, you were the only one who ever made me feel safe back then."

Huey stopped messing with her hair then, looking down at her light face against his shoulder. She looked peaceful as she said those words, her eyelids closed and her long eyelashes brushing just above her cheekbones. "Sure Jazmine," he said sarcastically, trying to sound doubtful. "Whatever you say."

"It's the truth," she assured, tugging on his shirt again. "You still do make me feel better to this day. Even at this very moment, I feel like I need you by my side." Jazmine then pressed into him more closely, tightening her grip, as if he'd fly away.

Huey blinked at her words, heat rising to his cheeks as he felt himself blush. It's so odd how she's able to say all of this to him, but not even be fazed. Now it was Huey's turn to be flustered for the day.

"And, you don't have to tell me anything you don't want to, Huey," Jazmine added then, pulling away slightly to look up at him more clearly. "I'll leave you alone about everything."

No! Huey didn't want her to back down. He wanted her to bother him! To annoy him with her fluttery ways and girlish advances day-by-day. Her attention was just so precious to him. Who cares if he could be stubborn, and at times, a living hell when he was angry? That was just him. But Jazmine, she seemed to be able to handle him. She knew how to poke the bear without getting hurt. Her whole aura seemed to balance him out, and that's why he loved-

"Huey?" Jazmine said then, raising her brows as she leaned into his face, giving him a worried expression. "Are you okay?"

Her nose was only a couple of inches away now, and Huey felt like he was going to lose it. "Nah, I'm fine," he said, not missing a beat. Time to change the subject before he couldn't hold himself together anymore. "I just realized that you're going to make this shirt smell like vanilla, now."

Jazmine laughed at that, her breath tickling his skin. "You smelled me, Huey?"

"You always smell like vanilla," he said simply, shrugging.

Jazmine playfully rolled her eyes at that, before lifting an arm to smell her skin. "Pshh, this is clearly strawberry, Huey," she explained, looking amused.

Huey rolled his eyes, and in turn, moved his face just past her ear to smell the curls tucked behind there. "No, this is clearly vanilla I'm smelling," he countered, scoffing.

Jazmine giggled as his breath tickled her ear. "Strawberry," she insisted, reaching a hand up to pluck his nose teasingly. She then lifted her face to his hair, sniffing. "Your hair smells like plain soap."

Huey snorted as he continued to touch her curls, tugging on the bouncy strands. "Why are we sniffing each other, again?" he muttered, raising a brow. It was odd, but strangely amusing. He could sniff her all day, whether it be the strawberries or the vanilla. Of course, this was a bit weird though, he had to admit to himself. Strangely satisfying, however.

Jazmine brought her nose down to the skin showing just beneath Huey's neck, right above the collar of his shirt. She didn't even notice his shiver that time. "Mint?" she said, scrunching up her nose. "I love mint."

Huey shrugged with pretend nonchalance, trying not to look too tense from her closeness.

The mulatto pulled away completely then, sliding her arm from around him. She laid back against the couch, and tilted her eyes to the ceiling. Her heart started to beat a bit quicker as she took a deep breath, her next words giving her anxiety. She needed to know how he felt.

"You know how you made me get an account?" she asked then, her voice calm and frilly.

"Yeah," Huey answered simply, watching her features.

"Well, I was just looking around on there, y'know, looking at all of my notifications," she continued. "But, this one guy that popped up, really caught my attention."

Huey straightened, listening to every word.

"His name was Cairo, and he said he really liked my profile picture," Jazmine said, turning to look at him. Huey could only stare in shocking silence. "You know, the picture where I'm wearing that pink dress with the blue scarf you gave me?"

The Freeman boy nodded, his nerves simmering.

"Yeah, well, his name sounded familiar. Didn't you use to have a friend named Cairo, Huey?" she asked innocently, raising her petite eyebrows at him as she watched his expression.

"Yeah," Huey managed out, taking a breath as his brows tensed.

Jazmine looked back at the ceiling. "Well I doubt it's the same guy. But anyways, he and I started chatting, and soon, he gave me his number. Can you believe it?"

Huey watched her intensely, and for a second, he thought he heard Jazmine sniffle.

Jazmine then looked down and examined her nails, her cheeks blushing as she tried to hide her face. "All this time, I thought I'd never get a guy to like me, and then he swoops in out of nowhere. Weird, right?" she adds, following with a chuckle that sounded a bit flat.

Huey felt like his heart was on the verge of deflating in his chest, confusion lacing through him as he listened to her talk.

"I don't know why I'm telling you this now, but I just had to tell you. He invited me on a date tomorrow, because surprisingly, he just moved to Woodcrest about a couple of weeks ago," Jazmine rambled quietly, her eyes glowing at Huey in anticipation. Even if Huey hadn't known any better, it was almost as if she were waiting for his opinion by the glimmer in her eyes. Willing him to say something.

One part of him knew that it was his old friend, Cairo, but another part of him didn't want to believe it, either. But if Jazmine liked him, as much as it pained Huey, he would try to support her. "Sure, Jazmine. He sounds like a nice guy-"he started, but then he noticed the sudden water pooling in those emerald eyes. "Wait, what's wrong?" he asked, already reaching a hand up to wipe those tears. "I thought you were happy?"

Jazmine sniffled, looking deep into his maroon pools. "I—I am happy…but It's just…" she stammered, leaning into his touch as he ran his thumb under her eyes. Jazmine gulped, trying to blink the tears away shamefully. She didn't intend for this to happen. All she wanted was to be happy about this date, but then she started thinking. Remembering all the good times she had with Huey, all the times they shared moments like these. Through tears and happiness, he was always there. The attachment to him became stronger over the years, and right now, it was at its highest.

Huey blinked in confusion, wanting to be able to see inside her head, wanting to know what was causing this change of heart so suddenly. "What is it, Jazmine? Tell me," he said, lowering his eyebrows as a protective feeling consumed him. He swore, if it was Cairo, that _bastard._ If the worm so much as messed with Jazmine, it was all over. Why was his old childhood rival coming back, anyway? And out of all people, how did he find Jazmine?

Her arms were wrapping back around him then, and Huey felt the warmth come back as she laid her head against him. Her salty tears wet his shirt a bit, but he didn't care, wrapping his arms around her in turn. "Why are you crying?" he asked softly, placing his chin on the top of her head. Her many curls tickled his face as she continued to cry. "Please, tell me," he pressed, the previous firmness of his tone weakening.

"Why d-don't you—I love…" Jazmine mumbled into his chest, tightening her grip on his shirt.

Huey strained to hear her words as he listened, his thumb absentmindedly rubbing a circle on her back. What was she trying to say? _Why didn't I what? She loves what?_

A few more sniffles, and then she was sucking in a deep breath as her next words stumbled out. _"Why don't you see…that I l-love you?"_

Huey felt his eyes widen, and his grip on her loosened as the sudden chilliness of the air hit him. The blood running through his veins grew cold, and he felt the hairs on his neck stand on end. Jazmine pulled away then, looking up into his face. All Huey could do was stare back, his mouth slightly agape.

Jazmine blinked a couple of times, trying to get rid of the blurriness. She looked at Huey, noticing the shocked look on his face. Noticing the way his brows drew up in shock, and how his mouth slightly hung open as he watched her. And before she knew it, his face alone was already making her heart flutter again, the corner of her lips slightly turning up. "Geez," she started with a chuckle, lifting a hand to wipe her now reddish eyes. "Once a crybaby, always a crybaby, right Huey?"

The Freeman boy gazed at her, completely stunned into silence. Here he was, thinking he was about to lose the light in his life, and then it only shines brighter for him. He realized Jazmine wasn't mentioning the date for his advice. She mentioned it to see what he would say. She wanted to see if he felt the same. If he felt the energy between them that she was so devastatingly scared of admitting. And now look at her, crying her eyes out because she was scared of her own emotions. But now, Huey knew how Jazmine felt.

Sure, he had gone through hell and back to find out that Jazmine loved him. Sure, it seems like they're just stuck in some sappy romantic comedy. And sure, Huey doesn't know where to go about anything anymore. The love of his life _is_ in love with him, though. And that's all he had on his plate right now.

Seriously, how much more could a guy ask for?

Heaven just folded out in front of him.

* * *

 **A/N:** Wow, the last chapter I wrote before this one was just so much fun to write. So of course, I couldn't help but whip up this one so quickly for you guys. I had a lot of free time, so why not? I hope you guys enjoyed this, so let me know! :)


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N:** I wish all of you lovelies a Happy New Year! :) Hope you enjoy this chapter.

* * *

Still, the tears kept coming from Jazmine's puffy eyes, falling onto Huey's already damp shirt. The silence in the air, the only sound of the mulatto's hesitant breathing…

Huey only able to hold in his breath.

 _Breathe…_

… _calm down…_

He gazed to the side, a puzzled look on his face. Jazmine loved him. Out of all these years, when it seemed like friends was all they'd ever be, she surprises him with her words. So sudden, so unexpected…

Of course he felt the same.

Any outsider could see that.

All insiders knew that.

So what the hell was hitting his heart right now? Overriding the control he always had, the control he kept guarded with his life…from day one. Emotions was looked at as a weakness. Growing up, a kid like him didn't have time for that. He didn't have room. Life wasn't all sunshine and love. However, the girl beside him now, the one who just opened up a whole 'nother world just now…just for him…

Burned the control…

And it was all gone now.

Jazmine could only gasp as his lips pressed into hers, the softness full of warmth and gentleness. All the feelings he kept bottled up, everything he ever held back…it all seemed to pour out now. Huey tangled a light hand through her blonde curls, feeling the bouncy waves twirling on his fingers. He could feel how Jazmine seemed to crawl up against him, her small figure trying to get closer as she kissed him back.

A tear slowly rolled down her cheek, and it dripped on Huey's shirt. He pulled away just a bit, looking into her teary green eyes that shined back at him. "Hey…" he whispered gently, his voice coming out raw and husky from the ache of everything. "No more crying." He took his other hand and wiped under her eyes again, willing the salty trails to stop.

A small smile played onto Jazmine's pink lips as she looked up at him, Huey's face serious, yet soft. "You look like you want to cry yourself," she whispered back, teasing him.

Huey found his tenseness melting away at that smile, Jazmine's emerald eyes full of genuine happiness as she looked at him. "I like your smile," he breathed, the words coming out before he thought about it. He then bit his tongue, feeling his cheeks warming.

But…she was giggling. Nervous giggles breaking the quietness throughout the apartment. "Stop Huey…you can practically see my butterflies already," she laughed, grinning at him. "I promise I'll cry more if it makes you this adorable…"

Huey rolled his eyes, snorting at that. "Adorable, my ass."

Jazmine hugged him, her muffled laughter heating his shirt. "It's true, and you know it!"

"Nope."

"Yes!"

"You're not funny."

"I'm hilarious!"

Huey wrapped his arms around her then, almost automatically. He found it odd and strangely amusing how the two of them could make serious situations comical. "Believe what you want, Jazmine," he mocked, before leaning in near her ear. "I know how stubborn you are," he whispered.

This only seemed to make Jazmine erupt with more laughter, breath tickling her cheek. "What…hold on," she said, raising an eyebrow as Huey's face lingered there. "Are you sniffing me again?"

The Freeman boy sniffed then, but said, "Of course not."

"…Hueyy," Jazmine sighed, grinning. "You're a terrible liar."

"No I'm not," he said simply, his monotone voice hiding amusement.

Jazmine looked up at him again, smirking now. "So, you _are_ lying?"

Huey narrowed his eyes, realizing she tricked him just now. "Whatever. I'm great at telling the truth, though."

Jazmine leaned against him, laying her head on his shoulder, her massive hair tickling his nose. "Tell me something true, then," she said quietly, smiling.

"I love you," Huey boldly admitted, looking down at her to watch the mulatto's expression. He felt her suck in a breath, just as her smile only seemed to widen at his literal words. "Truth," he quietly added.

Jazmine's arms wrapped around his torso tighter, just as she raised up to bury her face into the crook of his neck. _He didn't even have to think about it,_ she thought, realizing just how much of a deep pool they both just stepped into. She could feel her heart beating in her chest, and all over, she felt tingly. _Free. Light. Never-ending butterflies. All because of him…_

Huey tried not to be so tense as Jazmine rested her face there, feeling her lips lightly brushing against his collar bone indirectly. "You sure you're okay?" he said, raising both brows this time. He didn't want what just happened to make things different between them, or for Jazmine to feel even the slightest bit odd-

"So…" she said, willing her voice not to crack from her pure joy. "Now what?"

Huey raised a brow, snapping out of his thoughts. "Hm?"

"Now that everything's settled…now what?" Jazmine rephrased, smiling a cheesy grin at his confused handsome face.

Huey leaned back into the couch a bit, thinking as he ran a hand through his own curly hair. "I kill Caesar…?"

"Poor Caesar!," she laughed, then said,"…and?"

The Freeman boy snorted, shaking his head. "And take you-"

"On a date!" Jazmine excitedly finished, grinning.

"…oh geez," Huey muttered, just as the mulatto happily pecked his cheek.

* * *

"C'mon Caesar, I promise Huey won't hurt you," Jazmine assured, trying to sound caring despite her hidden laughter. "Come inside."

Caesar was standing on the other side of the front door to the apartment, refusing to come in. Jazmine found it funny because the mop-headed boy was pretending like he wasn't even a little scared, making up excuses of why he shouldn't enter.

"Nah Jaz, the sky looks pretty cool today," Caesar said, his voice muffled by the door. "I might stay out here a bit longer."

"Oh puh-lease," Jazmine mocked, swinging the door open. "Come in!"

Caesar turned to peep inside, then looked at Jazmine. "If I die today, tell my mom-"

"Caesar, if you don't get yourself in here!" Huey demanded then, his voice shouting from the kitchen as he looked in the refrigerator.

Jazmine bust out laughing, just as Caesar stumbled into the apartment with wide eyes.

Huey glared at his friend, looking up. "Where were you anyway?"

Caesar smiled, relieved Huey wasn't particularly angry with him. "Your hair turned out cool," he commented, ignoring the question.

Jazmine walked up, whispering to Caesar as they beheld Huey's scowling expression. "Too soon."

"You're lucky I'm in a good mood," Huey grumbled, rolling his eyes as he reached into the fridge for the orange juice.

Caesar snorted, but asked, "Good mood? Care to explain?"

Jazmine turned her gaze to her shoes, feeling her ears heating from embarrassment. _Oh geez…here we go…_

"Star Wars comes on later," Huey said simply, as if that explained everything.

Caesar chuckled, nodding. "Oh yeah, I forgot about that. It comes on like six o'clock tonight, right?" he said, knowing how much his best friend liked the series.

Jazmine raised a brow, slightly confused. Wait? Huey wasn't going to say anything about them? He was usually so blunt about things…and usually hid nothing. The mulatto glanced at Huey, seeing how plain as day he looked as he talked with Caesar, completely unfazed. Or did he just think Star Wars was just more interesting-

"Oh, Jazmine and I are going on a date later too," Huey calmly added then, sounding so casual about it. He glanced at Jazmine, and the mulatto could practically see the amusement gleaming in his maroon pools. He knew what he just did…teasing her like that for a second…

Caesar's eyebrows raised, surprised at the news. "Oh…"

Jazmine found the corner of her lips tugging up…hearing Huey say that…

Caesar was chuckling then. "That's great, you two," he genuinely complimented, not at all fazed by the surprise mood. He had a shipping heart himself when it came to his friends, Jazmine and Huey always the ideal couple.

"Thanks Caesar," Jazmine mumbled bashfully, her smile widening.

Huey continued to drink from his cup, gazing at her with curious eyes. He could see how pink her light cheeks were turning from the blush, and he could've sworn her ears were turning red. It somehow made him feel satisfied…having that affect over Jazmine…

"Well, Imma go get dressed," Caesar said with a light sigh, starting to walk away. "It's been a long morning."

Jazmine giggled, and when Caesar was gone, she stomped playfully over to Huey. "How dare you tease me like that?" she said, nudging him a bit with her elbow. "You could've fooled me."

Huey scoffed. "Not my fault you're so gullible," he stated.

"Not my fault how wicked your humor is!"

"Maybe you have a point there," Huey said, setting down his glass as Jazmine hugged him.

"When are we leaving?"

Huey looked down at his attire. He wore a plain black shirt with khakis. "Uh…should I change?"

Jazmine playfully rolled her eyes. "No, I like your khakis."

The Freeman boy raised a questioning eyebrow at her.

"I don't know. You're like the guy from the State Farm commercial, remember?" she giggled, shaking her head at her own goofiness.

Huey shook his own head, not believing how bubbly Jazmine was. "You're so full of it," he muttered, which only seemed to make the mulatto laugh some more.

* * *

"The zoo?" Huey thought out loud, looking around. "Honestly, Jazmine?"

But Jazmine was like ten steps ahead of him, completely fascinated with the animals. "Oh c'mon Huey," she said, smiling. "Aren't they all so cute?"

Huey gazed at a hummingbird nearby, hearing its humming. "Yeah, sure," he said.

Jazmine doubled-back then, taking Huey by the hand and leading him over to another exhibit. "You have to see this panda!"

Huey looked at the furry panda bear, the animal chewing lazily on a stalk of bamboo as it sat in the grass. He glanced at Jazmine, noticing how her eyes lit up with amazement. Who knew that Woodcrest had pandas shipped over? "I didn't know you liked pandas," he commented.

Jazmine nodded. "I like all animals really," she told him, looking up into his gaze.

Well, Huey knew that. He remembered when they were little, and the mulatto used to tell him how much she wanted to be a veterinarian when she grew up…and back then, he hadn't cared to know.

"You see, I always wanted to be a-"

"Veterinarian," Huey finished, turning back to look at the panda with calm eyes.

Jazmine's mouth dropped a little, shocked that he remembered something like that. It's been so long since she's even mentioned a little detail like that to him…and for him to remember meant the world to her. "What else do you remember about me?" she asked, grinning.

Huey started walking again, looking at an exhibit holding a lemur. All the memories came flooding back, and his started recalling all the facts to her."You love the color pink. Snapple was always your favorite drink for some reason. At one point, you used to believe that the tooth fairy was real. Around that same time, I think you used to carry around a doll named Ms. Wellington-"

Jazmine's eyes widened. "Oh gosh—Huey!" she exclaimed, trying to catch up with him.

He paused, turning from the lemur exhibit. "Yes?"

She was giving him a peeved look. "You didn't tell me you remembered all that!"

The Freeman boy shrugged. "Yes, it wasn't like I wasn't listening when we were little," he said, sighing at the bewildered look on her face. "It just never dawned on me how much I know about you."

Jazmine tapped her foot, feeling slightly thrilled at his memory. "How tall am I?"

"5'2."

"When's my birthday?"

"January 5th."

"Who's my favorite singer-"

"Usher," Huey sighed, rubbing his head with a slightly annoyed look. "Are we done now?" He took another step forward, but Jazmine grabbed his sleeve.

"What did I always ask for on Christmas when I was little-"

"A pony, Jazmine. You always wanted a pony. Seriously, what's with all these questions?"

Jazmine pulled Huey towards her by his sleeve, and when he was close enough, hugged the life out of him. This is what she had been missing all these years. Someone who truly knew her. Someone she could call her rock, no, her _soul_. This man she hugged at this very moment knew her. He was the only one to pay attention, even if he hadn't wanted to know her when they were younger. He was still there when she needed him most, and honestly, that's all that mattered. Because now, he had nothing but undying love to offer her, filling up the empty spaces in her heart that never filled for years.

She gazed into his face, admiring the curious marron eyes that looked into her emerald ones. His mocha skin shined in the afternoon sun, almost as if the Freeman boy had a natural glow about him. The bleached curls in his hair amongst the darkish ones stuck out, and somehow, the beautiful waves only seemed to level his tall height. A whole foot above her.

"Jazmine…?" Huey said, noticing how she's looked at him for this long time. It's been almost a whole minute, and he was starting to wonder what was going on in her head, especially since the butterflies returning to his stomach made matters worse.

She giggled then, before giving him a small smile. "I just want you to know how much I appreciate you," she said lightly, her voice frilly and small.

Huey's cheeks were full on hot now, but he kept his blank stance. "So you stare at me for a whole minute?"

She nodded, chuckling. "Yep."

Huey scrunched up his button nose. "What, was I supposed to get some telepathic message or something?" he mocked, raising a brow.

"Oh hush!" Jazmine laughed, nudging him with her elbow. "Keep teasing me like that and I might have to bring back my Yoda impression!" she countered.

Huey pinched the bridge of his nose. "Oh please…no."  
"I'll do it!"

Huey shook his head. "Jazmine…"

The mulatto giggled, before tugging him by his sleeve excitedly as she started walking again. "C'mon, let's go look at that black panther!"


	7. Chapter 7

"Alright, it's done," Jazmine said, glancing over to Huey with a smile. "You're turn."

They were deleting their dating accounts, which for some reason, was extremely satisfying to both of them. It almost felt like they were taking a step further into their relationship. A small, very tinsy-tiny step that isn't all that noticeable, yet still pleasing.

Huey leaned and took the mouse, looking at the bright computer screen. He read the notification that was displayed: **Account has been successfully deleted.**

After that he navigated the cursor around, and not before long, he was on his own dating page. Jazmine peered over his shoulder curiously, her bright green eyes looking straight to Huey's notifications. She narrowed her eyes at the high number count of interested singles, slight jealousy only wanting the account deleted faster. Huey was hers now, no matter how strangely possessive that sounded. She was never the jealous type, so this new feeling kind of startled her a little.

Huey went to the account settings and hit the delete button, and then everything was done. Everything could go back to normal. Well, not _everything_ obviously. Jazmine's smile widened at the thought.

Huey lightly yawned into his hand before saying," I forgot about that paper I have to write." He furrowed his brows at his own forgetfulness, pinching the bridge of his nose in exhaustion.

Jazmine raised her eyebrows at that. She had completely forgotten about Huey and the college courses he was taking. "How is that going anyway?" she asked, genuinely curious as to Huey and his future goals. She always knew him to be so ambitious, yet so subtle about it.

Huey sighed softly. "It's fine. There's just so much work for me to do. And besides that, I need to help Granddad pay rent, help Riley with his funds for that big basketball competition coming up, and then half the rent with Caesar on this apartment-"

"Hey," Jazmine sighed, giving Huey a small smile. "I hate seeing you so overwhelmed…" she stated, her eyes roaming over Huey's disgruntled expression.

Huey glanced up at her, before looking away again. "Nah, don't worry about it," he said simply. The last thing he wanted was sweet little Jazmine worrying about everything he had on his plate. She didn't need any of that. "I can handle it."

Jazmine smirked. "And what if I want to help?"

"I see what you're doing," Huey said, raising an eyebrow at her smug face. "Cheering me up will not make me change my mind."

But Jazmine was already hugging him, her face on his shoulder. "Not even my hugs will change your mind?" she asked with pretend innocence. How could he resist her hugs?

Huey hugged her back, scoffing. "It's not working Jazmine."

"Is it?" she said, leaning up to kiss the small spot behind Huey's ear.

"Give it a rest," he mumbled quietly, but Jazmine could feel how he leaned a bit into the touch. "Cut it out," he continued.

Jazmine held in a giggle. "Please Huey?" she pleaded, reaching up to let her hands lightly run through his curly hair. "Helping you would make me so happy."

"It would make me feel guilty," Huey easily responded, slowly pulling away from her touches to look at Jazmine's smiling face. "Alright?"

The mulatto rolled her eyes at that. "Guilty? I never have anything to do. This would occupy my time," she said, raising her hands in confusion.

Huey nodded. "Exactly why you can use this time for yourself, right?" he said, arching his brow even higher. Jazmine didn't have a job like Huey. He was a high-paid tutor for students at his college on certain days. Though, that job was only temporary, since Huey was working towards being his own boss one day in another field.

Jazmine made a pouty face. She hated thinking and talking about careers sometimes. Going back to school for college courses sounded so boring. Of course she wanted a job, and hoped to one day be a veterinarian, but the long process to get there was so unappealing.

Huey noticed the face she was making. "What's wrong?"

Jazmine shook her head.

"What?" Huey pressed curiously.

Jazmine turned away in embarrassment, not wanting to look him in the face. "It's just, thinking about stuff like that is so scary to me," she muttered quietly, her voice seeming louder than usual in the quiet computer room.

Huey sighed after hearing that. He hated to see her upset. "I know, but facing our fears is the only way to get through them."

"Easy for you to say," she said, her small smile reappearing. "You're not scared of anything."

Huey titled his head as he reached out to swivel Jazmine's chair, so she was facing him again. "Okay, what's really bothering you?" he asked, light concern lacing his usually monotone voice.

Jazmine shook her head again. "Nothing."

"Tell me."

"No Huey."

"Jazmine."

"Hm?"

"C'mon."

The mulatto took a deep breath, in and out. Sometimes, being emotional really drained her. Yes, she was the hugest crybaby ever. She was always running from her fears when they surfaced. She always tried to avoid being so emotionally overwhelmed…but…

Jazmine looked at Huey's face, his eyes full of concern and love…lots and lots of love…

"I'd just miss you to death being away all the time at college," Jazmine admitted, before looking to the side again with embarrassment. Curse her sappy ways.

Huey looked at her thoughtfully, seeing the way she tried to hide her emotions from him. Honestly, he'd been swimming in all of the rivers she had cried already. Even though she wasn't crying right now, he mentally prepared himself for it.

"Jazmine," he started, noticing how she hid her face a bit. "Hey?"

She slowly looked over to him.

"You're not going anywhere," he reassured, staring into her wide emerald orbs as she looked at him.

She raised her eyebrows in confusion. "What do you mean?"

"You can take classes online," Huey added, reaching over to touch her cheek. "How's that sound?"

Jazmine's eyes widened more at that. Of course! How could she have forgotten that? The easiest solution to her problem. Being away from Huey would honestly kill her. Being away from her friends and family just sounded absolutely horrible. _Terrifying and downright unbearable._

"Okay?" Huey said again, before noticing the way her mouth grew into a wide grin. He felt his heart flutter.

The mulatto hugged him, tighter this time. "Yeah," she sighed happily. "Thank you so much Huey."

The Freeman boy made a puzzled face. "Why are you thanking me?"

"Because."

"What-"

Jazmine shushed him and his unnecessary comments, smiling a sweet smile. It was okay if he didn't understand her words sometimes, because he truly did give her life. Even something as simple as this situation might seem, every second counted towards something great.

Huey moved a bit in her tight grip, adjusting to the pressure to his torso from her arms. "Um, "he said, looking down at her. "You confuse me so much sometimes," he muttered.

"Same," Jazmine replied, snuggling her face into his shirt. "Just enjoy the moment you nerd." She heard his scoff, and all she could do was laugh.

* * *

"Blah blah blah…colleges in blah…blah blah," Jazmine groaned as she searched the web. She had left from Huey and Caesar's early, to go clear her mind about all of this. Huey was right. It was a good time as any to start peering more into her future. She didn't have a part-time job right now, since she lived off her parents' wealth all the time. It didn't seem right anymore.

She scrolled through the searches, looking for a veterinarian college online that didn't require attendance at a campus. That was absolutely the last thing she wanted.  
After some time of groans and moans later of searching for the perfect place, Jazmine stumbled across a college: **Woodcrest-Maryland College of Veterinarian Medicine.**

She reached for her phone to call Huey, but then stopped. She remembered how he had a paper to write for one of his courses, and just how tired he was today. Honestly it broke her heart. If her going to college helped him, then that's exactly what she would do. Plus, his words brightened her mind a bit. Who knows what the future holds, and she should be open to new things, right?

Jazmine took a deep breath, joy crossing her face. _Since when did Huey give such good advice?_

* * *

Huey tapped away at the keyboard, trying to finish the essay as quickly as possible. He hated stressing himself out, and obviously it frustrated Jazmine too. He wouldn't have minded her help if it came down to it, but he just didn't like the idea of giving Jazmine his problems. Plus, not to toot his own horn or anything, but Huey had an extremely good work ethic. None of this will take long.

His eyes searched the research draft, checking for errors and typos as he continued to type. He wished he had more time though. There just wasn't enough hours in the day. He needed more time to gain the proper amount of sleep for the average person. More time for all the work he had in classes for college. More time for his job, and to pursue his career more. And a little more time, which was recently just added to his crazy schedule, to be with Jazmine.

He felt horrible for indirectly blowing her off to work on this stupid essay, so he was determined to find time for her. He just needed to finish this essay…

 _Knock. Knock. Knock._

Huey turned to see Caesar standing in the doorway, his usual smug on his lips. "Hey," he greeted.

Huey turned back to the computer. "Hey."

"How are things with Jazmine going? I saw her leave out of here all flustered."

"Things are fine, why?"

Caesar chuckled. "Nothing," he continued. "I just still don't believe how quick things change for the better. Do you have any idea how long I wanted you and Jazmine to finally get together?"

Huey rolled his eyes while shaking his head. "Had no idea you were such a hopeless romantic," he muttered, sarcasm in his voice yet again.

This made Caesar laugh. "You don't believe me, man?"

"Whatever you say, Caesar," Huey replied, stopping his typing for a second. He looked at his friend in mild annoyance. "Was there a motive for this conversation? I have a paper to finish."

Caesar tried to keep his laughter down as he said his next words. "How's your hair holding up, blondie?" Then he took off with undying laughter, knowing Huey's next move.

"Are you asking for a death wish?!" Huey threatened, already standing and chasing after his friend.

 _He just can't catch a break, can he?_

* * *

"Hey sweetheart, how are you?" Sarah asked, smiling at her daughter as she stepped into Jazmine's room. "Dinner's ready."

Jazmine looked up from the computer. "Well, I've been doing some thinking."

"About?"

"Doing college."

Sarah gasped, her mouth agape. Yet, she was happy. She'd been waiting for those words since Jazmine got out of high school. At first, Jazmine had said college was a waste of time, and she wanted to just figure out her life before she knew what she wanted to do. But, now? "You still want to be a veterinarian?" she asked, taking a seat on Jazmine's bed.

The mulatto grinned at her mother. "Of course. I was thinking about what Huey said, and it made me realize that I don't have all the time in the world. I have to start somewhere, right?"

"Right," Sarah agreed. She didn't even need to ask what Huey said, because everyone only knew the boy to speak the truth. _Bless his heart._ "I'm glad you're seeing it now."

Jazmine nodded happily. "Me too." She had a new determination burning in her heart, and for the first time in forever, she felt strong.

"Huey must have a good influence on you," Sarah added, feeling proud and joy for Jazmine.

A bashful look creeped onto Jazmine's face. "Yeah, he's pretty great."

"But when were you going to tell me you two were dating?" Sarah giggled, looking at her daughter's now pinkish face. "It's so obvious how you two clicked. Do you know how long I've wanted you and Huey to get together?"

Jazmine made a shocked face, not expecting any of this. "Uh, it was obvious? I was going to tell you actually-"

Sarah could only laugh at Jazmine. "Calm down, its fine. You should know that I'm happy for you Jazzy. A mother couldn't be prouder. "

Jazmine gave a small smile despite her sudden fluster. "Oh, thanks mom. That means a lot."

She nodded in return, smiling. "Now c'mon, let's go eat."

 _Things will be okay._


End file.
